Keeping Children Safe

Caregivers of small children who are either hospitalized or visiting someone in the hospital should be aware of an unsuspecting source of choking. The small object is called a disinfection cap and is commonly used in the healthcare setting as a barrier on an intravenous port. The small cap has a foam sponge inside saturated with alcohol to help prevent infection. However, these brightly colored caps may be attractive to young children and could be a potential choking hazard.

Have you ever thought about where medicines are kept in your home through the eyes of your child? Medicines left on counters, nightstands, in purses and bags, or on the ground are easily within reach of a young child. What's more, many medicines are brightly colored and look like candy, making them appetizing to children.

A toddler was admitted to the hospital after taking an overdose of Quillivant XR (methylphenidate). This medicine is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It had been prescribed for the toddler's older brother.

If you keep an EpiPen Jr (epinephrine) auto-injector on hand in case a child has a severe allergic reaction, you need to know about the risk of cutting a child while the needle is under the skin if he or she moves during the injection. An EpiPen Jr auto-injector is a disposable automatic injection device filled with 1 dose of epinephrine. When the orange tip is pressed against a child's outer thigh until it "clicks" and then held there for 10 seconds, the dose is automatically delivered. Prompt treatment of severe allergic reactions in the home and community can be lifesaving and has resulted in better survival rates and less long-term effects. Most often, auto-injectors are used successfully without complications. But two children recently sustained cuts on their legs when using the EpiPen Jr.

People may not realize that an infected mother can pass on the hepatitis B virus to her newborn infant at birth. Hepatitis B is a serious, contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the hepatitis B virus can cause lifelong infection, leading to cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.

Many parents like to rub numbing medications on their baby’s gums to treat the discomfort of teething. Products for this purpose, called topical anesthetics, are available for purchase over the counter (OTC). Examples include Anbesol and Orajel. There are also prescription products (e.g., viscous lidocaine) that doctors sometimes recommend. However, because of safety concerns, we do not recommend that babies receive medicines containing topical anesthetics.

Camphorated phenol is an antiseptic liquid containing camphor and phenol. These two ingredients, used in combination, are often used to treat pain and itching associated with conditions such as minor burns, cold sores, insect bites, itching skin and mild sunburn. Camphorated phenol is a liquid that must only be applied directly to the skin. Ingesting camphorated phenol can cause toxicity, especially in children.

In February, the Chicago Sun Times reported that 16 elementary school children had been taken to local hospitals with a sudden illness. The children were 9- and 10-year olds who began vomiting after eating “mints” given to them by another classmate. It was later found that these “mints” were actually nicotine-replacement lozenges, called NiQuitin Minis (Figure 1 on page 3). (NiQuitin is a product from the United Kingdom that is sold online; however, the Nicorette brand made in the US has a similar product.) The classmate found the lozenges at home and brought them to school to share.